Alternative Business Models

“I don’t think you can go into the record business [today] and think you’re going to sell a million records,” says [Ken] Shipley, co-founder of the re-issue label the Numero Group, from his home base in Chicago, Illinois.

“The basis of our philosophy is to have loyal people [who seek out the brand]. That’s more valuable than selling a million copies of one record.”

[…] Shipley obviously cares a great deal, and sees Rhino as a model. “That level of quality is what I see [for Numero],” he says. To that end, the CDs are beautifully packaged and filled with informed liner notes.

So if Numero sells a few thousand copies of “The Capsoul Label” or “Camino Del Sol,” that’s fine with him. He just wants to do it right.

“The windfall will be on a karmic level,” he says. “We’re helping to change the lives [of the forgotten musicians]. It humbles you in a lot of ways.”